Canelo Alvarez failed drug test puts all eyes on Nevada

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Canelo Alvarez and his positive drug test for clenbuterol has everyone awaiting what the Nevada State Athletic Commission will decide for the Mexican superstar’s rematch against Gennady Golovkin on May 5 in Las Vegas (Photo by Gene Blevins)

Doing the right thing is something boxing has always had difficulty doing. Fights don’t get made because promoters don’t like each other, judges come up with absurd scorecards and fighters sometimes don’t make weight.

You get the picture.

Right now, we have to remain hopeful the right thing will be done regarding what happened with Canelo Alvarez this week. It was revealed he tested positive in mid-February for trace amounts of the banned substance clenbuterol, a performance-enhancing drug, in Mexico while preparing for his May 5 rematch against middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view).

Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Alvarez, released a statement about the dirty test. It said the levels of the drug in Alvarez’s system indicate meat contamination, which has become an issue for athletes training in Mexico in recent years.

That’s where we raise an eyebrow. Alvarez and his team are smart people. They know the aforementioned drug has been found in meat in Mexico because it has been highly publicized. Then why even train in Mexico with so much at stake?

Alvarez has a camp in San Diego he uses. He has picked up and moved there now.

What some might think is Alvarez knowingly used this drug, realizing if he got caught, he could always use the contaminated meat theory to absolve himself.

Punishment could include a suspension and a fine by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. If the fight is canceled, the paydays of Alvarez and Golovkin vanish.

We got Bob Bennett, executive director of the Nevada commission, on the line Thursday. He couldn’t say much, but he did assure us everything would be done above board.

“Obviously, we’re in receipt of the adverse analytical findings from VADA about a Mr. Alvarez,” Bennett said, alluding to the Volunteer Anti-Doping Agency. “From here, I’ll be conducting a standard operational procedure so we can conduct an investigation.

“I will be doing that in concert with the Chief Deputy Attorney General (Caroline Bateman), and for me to make any statements right now regarding my investigative efforts, would be premature.”

Bennett balked when asked if this fight could be canceled.

“I don’t want to deal in hypotheticals,” he said. “It just doesn’t do anything. I think the most important thing is I’m working and communicating with Golden Boy Promotions and (promoter) Tom Loeffler for Triple G.

“Everybody’s aware of the situation, they’re well-aware of the fact I’m conducting an investigation.”

There has been some talk about the Nevada commission being partial to Alvarez, who has fought in Las Vegas 10 times; Golovkin has fought there just once.

“I don’t show any prejudice or bias here,” Bennett said. “I was in the FBI for 24 1/2 years and in the Marines for 6 1/2 years. Hey, look, the Nevada State Athletic Commission is all about the health and safety of the fighter and doing the right thing.”

Bennett said the motto of the commission is to be “honest, objective and transparent.”

Let’s hope so because boxing is the last place PEDs should be tolerated. If the fight has to be called off, then so be it. If it isn’t, that’s fine, too, as long as all parties believe the right thing was done in coming to that conclusion.

We should note that Ring TV — owned by Golden Boy — reported Thursday evening that Alvarez has since tested negatively for clenbuterol.

Bennett, in a text message, said that will not halt his investigation.

Garcia vs. Lipinets

Mikey Garcia on Saturday will be trying to win a world title in a fourth weigh class. He’ll have to defeat junior welterweight champion Sergey Lipinets of Kazakhstan to accomplish that feat, and on paper it might seem like Garcia will have an easy time.

Lipinets has only 13 pro bouts, and even though he is undefeated with 10 knockouts, it still doesn’t appear he has a good chance against Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs).

Garcia scoffs at the notion it will be a cake walk when he squares off with Lipinets at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio (on Showtime).

“Some critics aren’t giving Lipinets much credit because he’s only had 13 fights, but that tells you how good of a fighter he is,” said Garcia, 30, of Moreno Valley via Oxnard. “It took me 30 fights (31, actually) to be a world champion. He’s a high-caliber fighter who brings great danger.”

Lipinets, 28, doesn’t care that few are giving him a shot to remain champion.

Valdez vs. Quigg

Oscar Valdez on Saturday will defend his featherweight title against Scott Quigg at StubHub Center (on ESPN). As usual, the hard-fighting Valdez (23-0, 19 KOs) is looking to give fans something to remember.

“When I was a kid, I used to watch fighters like Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera,” said Valdez, of Tucson, Ariz., via Mexico. “I looked up to them. When I hear people say I’m an action fighter or a fighter they like to see, it makes me feel great.”

Quigg (34-1-2, 25 KOs) is predicting a victory.

“This is a voluntary defense,” the Englishman said. “They didn’t have to pick me, so it shows that they want to fight the best. But they definitely made a mistake picking me.”

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